Is There Anyone?
by gothicbutterfly95
Summary: A question popped at the gazebo leads Maria to try and find someone from her past.
1. Chapter 1

The moonlight shone through the trees, bathing the entire grounds of the von Trapp villa in an ethereal silver white glow. Maria walked slowly through the garden, the light breeze catching on the blue chiffon of her dress.

She arrived at the bench outside the glass gazebo and sat down, resting her arms on her thighs. She twiddled her thumbs and was soon lost in thought.

"Hello," said a voice, snapping her back to reality. She'd know that voice anywhere. It was his voice.

Maria looked up at him, standing there in the shadows. 'I wonder how he found me,' she thought to herself.

"I thought I just might find you here," he continued. She stood up slowly and turned to face him. "Was there something you wanted?" she asked.

"No, no, no," he replied, before walking over and closed the gap between them. "But there was someone..." he added taking her hands in his.

Maria giggled as Georg kissed the crown of her head.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing," she sighed, moving closer to him. "I guess I'm still finding it hard to believe I'm here, with you and the children and that you love me and we're getting married and...and..."

Georg cut off Maria's words with a quick kiss. "I hope you're not having second thoughts, darling," he teased.

"No, I'm not," Maria said confidently. "And I never will. I can't wait for the" she paused, lowering her voice so Georg could barely hear it. "Wedding."

"Neither can I, darling," he said, placing another kiss on her lips. After that he paused, stood up and looked at her; a serious expression on his face. "Maria, about the wedding. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Now who's having second thoughts, Captain?" Maria asked playfully, smacking his chest lightly.

"I assure you, my dear, I am certainly not changing my mind on this matter."

"Good," Maria continued. "Because if I can't be here with you and the children, the only place left for me to go is the Abbey. And it's very apparent I won't fit in there."

Georg chuckled. "No, you probably wouldn't. Now, I know there wasn't anyone I could go to to ask for your hand, besides the children and the Sisters at the Abbey, but I was wondering," he paused, unsure exactly how to phrase his next thought. "Is there anyone you would like to invite to the wedding?"

Maria's eyes widened as she looked up at her Captain in amazement. She'd been practically alone for as long as she could remember, but he was still asking her if there was anyone she wanted to attend the wedding.

She buried herself in his soft embrace and began to cry. She didn't have anyone, she never had. Not really. Her parents had both died before she was seven years of age and for the next ten years she had lived with her uncle, who had been more interested in a bottle of whisky than his niece. After that she had left for teacher's college and then entered the convent.

Then, just as suddenly as she had started, Maria stopped crying. She had remembered someone. Someone who had made the decade at her uncle's bearable. She looked up at her fiancé's face.

"Natascha," she whispered.

"What's that, my love?" he asked.

"She was my best – my only friend when I was young," she told him, her voice gaining volume. "Her parents ran the town bakery. But I haven't seen her since I left my uncle's when I was seventeen. I don't even know if she's still in town."

"Would you like her to come to the wedding?" Georg asked simply.

Maria closed her eyes and nodded.

"Well then. Tomorrow, would you like to accompany me into town to see if we can find this friend of yours?"

She answered him with a kiss.

* * *

"What did you say her name was again?" Georg asked his fiancée. They were in his study. Maria was relaxing on the couch, while Georg stood beside the desk, flipping through a phone book.

"Natascha," Maria answered. "Natascha Steiner."

"And you said her parents ran the bakery?"

Maria nodded. "Yes. Her mother was the most amazing cook. I went to their house on my fourteenth birthday, and she made me a beautiful, delicious cake as soon as Natascha told her why I was there." She sighed. "It was the best birthday I ever had."

"Well," said Georg, putting the phone book down on the desk and walked over to her. "I will do everything in my power to make sure every birthday you have will be just as memorable. Or more memorable."

Maria giggled. "I'll hold you to that, Captain."

* * *

"What are we going to do today?" Marta asked the next morning at breakfast.

"Maria and I will be going into town today," Georg answered. He'd stopped referring to his fiancée as 'Fraulein' long ago, even when the children were around. They still found in a little unusual, but they all understood why their father was doing it.

"What for, Fraulein Maria?" Gretl inquired, looking up at her governess's face.

"We're going to try and find one of my friends, sweetheart," she told the girl.

"I didn't think nuns were allowed to have friends," Kurt said.

Georg shot his youngest son a look, which caused Kurt to lower his head and stare blankly at the toast on his plate. But when Georg looked back and saw Maria's face, he calmed. Her expression clearly said: '_It's okay_.'

"No, Kurt," she said. "Just because nuns live in an Abbey it doesn't mean they can't have friends. Although there wasn't anyone at the Abbey I was really close to. But I met Natascha when I was Marta's age."

"Really?" Friedrich asked. "And you haven't told us about her?"

"I'm sorry," she said, only realising what her words would sound like to the children as they left her mouth. "But I haven't seen her for five years. In fact I had almost forgotten about her completely until your father asked me if there was somebody I wanted to invite to the wedding."

"She's coming to the wedding?" Brigitta asked.

"Hopefully," Georg said. "Now let's finish breakfast. You still need to do your studies, and Maria and I need to leave soon."

At the news that their governess's friend could possibly be attending the wedding, all seven of the children brightened and turned their attention back to their meal.

* * *

After bidding each of the children farewell, accompanied with a couple of rounds of hugs and kisses, Maria and Georg were finally heading out the door.

Georg opened the passenger door for his fiancée. Maria gave him a quick kiss before getting inside, while Georg crossed around and entered the driver's side.

"Well, my love," he said, starting the engine and placing his hands on the steering wheel. "Shall we?"

Maria leant over and kissed him again, this time on the cheek. "Yes," she nodded.

* * *

**Another missing scene from _Love Isn't Love 'Til You Give It Away_. Again, it probably makes sense even if you haven't read that fic. It also ties in to my fic about Maria's birthday, _One Of Her Favourite Days_, so if you read that you've already met Natascha. There is at least one more chapter to come.**


	2. Chapter 2

"You really do look lovely in that dress, you know darling," Georg said as they exited the car after pulling up in front of the bakery. "Although I have to say, that dress you wore last night is breathtaking. It's definitely my favourite."

"Of course it is," Maria said, turning away slightly. "You couldn't keep your eyes off me."

Her voice sounded sad, but Georg couldn't work out why. Silently, he reached over and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

"I can't keep my eyes of you no matter what you're wearing," he said light-heartedly.

But all this seemed to do was make Maria even sadder. The past few weeks had been nothing short of perfect, so she hadn't bothered to mention the conversation she'd had with the Baroness the night of the party. But now, she couldn't stop thinking about it, and she knew that if she didn't let it out she'd be carrying it around for a long time.

And there was still so much to happen in the three weeks that were left until the wedding. The planning and preparations would only get more hectic as time went on, and there was still the ball, which despite her fiancé's best efforts to cheer her up and reassure her, Maria was still nervous about. No, as much as it pained her to bring it up, she knew she had to. And she had to do it now.

"I guess the Baroness was right then," she murmured softly, still not looking at Georg.

That caught Georg's attention. Quickly, he turned Maria around, forcing her to look up at him.

"Maria," his tone was serious. "Did Elsa say something to you?"

There was no point denying it. She had brought it up after all. Slowly, she nodded.

"Yes," she said. "The night of the party, when I went up to change my outfit, she came up and offered to help me. She said I should wear the blue dress, because when I wore it the night of the puppet show you 'couldn't keep your eyes off me'.

"Well, that's true, if it's any consolation," Georg said, but he could tell she hadn't cheered up much.

"She said that I was in love with you," Maria continued. "And that you thought you loved me, but that you'd 'get over it soon enough'. I guess that that, combined with all the things I was feeling then, just scared me, so I – I left." She dropped her head and look liked she was almost going to cry. "I'm so sorry, Georg. Please, forgive me."

Her words made Georg angry, but after what she had just told him, he knew he couldn't show it. It was obviously a very sensitive subject for her and it had taken her a lot to bring it up. If he wasn't marrying Maria in three weeks time, he would've given Elsa a piece of his mind. But given what his relationship with Maria was like now, Georg guessed it would be pointless, so he let out his emotions in another way; he took her head in her hands and kissed her lips softly. "Of course I do, darling," he said. "None of this is your fault, and I'm so sorry you had to go through it all."

"It's okay," she said softly, kissing him back. "Sometimes I think it was just the wake-up call I needed. Who knows how long I would've denied my feelings for you had I stayed. I might just have run away when you proposed."

"Well my dear," he said. "If it wasn't a wake-up call for you, it definitely was for me. It was only after you'd left that I realised just how much you meant to me. And by the time you returned I had already gone ahead with my original plans. I'm so sorry for all the pain I put you through that day."

"That's alright. That was in the past. All that matters is the fact that now I'm here with you and the children. Those were dark times, but we just had to wait for the sun to come out." She smiled. "It always does."

"Indeed it does," he chuckled quietly. "Now then, let's go and find your friend."

* * *

It wasn't a big surprise that the bakery looked exactly the same as it had the last time Maria had been in there. Until she met Georg, Maria had never met anyone with a stronger sense of order and routine than Natascha's mother, Frau Steiner. The walls were still the yellowy-cream colour they had always been and the wood panelling and gold accents hadn't changed.

Even Natascha's mother looked exactly the same as she had the last time Maria had seen her, the day she left her uncle's house for the last time, before heading off to teacher's college in Vienna. Of course she had stopped by and bid Natascha farewell before she left. She had been the only friend Maria had ever had, and at that time, the only one she ever thought she would have.

* * *

Frau Steiner looked up when the door opened and in walked a couple. Not an ordinary couple by any means; the woman – if she could even be called that, looked to be the same age as her own daughter, while he seemed to be only a couple of years younger than her. She would've mistaken them for father and daughter or something similar, had it not been for way they interacted with one another, which made it very clear that they were a couple.

But that wasn't what caught her attention. Both the man and the girl (she could not think of her as a woman when she _had_ to be the same age as Natascha) looked familiar, but yet she couldn't quite place where she would know them from.

"You look familiar," she said to the girl. "Do I know you?"

The girl laughed. "It's me, Frau Steiner."

At hearing her voice, she knew exactly who the girl was and why she seemed familiar. She was Natascha's age; she was Natascha's childhood best friend. "Maria?" she asked. "Is that really you?"

Maria nodded. "Yes it is,"

"I'm sorry my dear, I couldn't recognise you," Frau Steiner continued. Then, realising exactly why Maria had turned up here today, after disappearing for five years, she added "Natascha's not here."

Maria's disappointment was obvious. Her shoulders slumped and her gaze fell to the floor. Instinctively, the man wrapped his arm around her.

"How – how did you know we were looking for her?" Maria asked Frau Steiner.

"Well, as much as you praised my delicacies every time you came here my dear, I doubt you would've travelled all the way out here to buy a pastry. I'm sure you could find a suitable snack much closer to the Abbey."

Maria giggled softly, and looked up at Georg. He was laughing too.

"Although," Frau Steiner added. "Given the current setting I'm seeing you in now, I'm starting to think you're no longer at the Abbey."

This time Maria really did laugh. "Well, you'd be right. I've left the Abbey. Frau Steiner, I'd like to introduce my fiancé, Captain von Trapp."

That's why the man looked familiar. Captain Georg von Trapp was nothing short of a hero to Austria, given his service in the Imperial Navy. And while Frau Steiner was certainly surprised, she had never seen Maria look happier. And Maria always looked happy. For a girl who wanted nothing more than to live her life in a convent serving God, Maria had very good taste in men.

"Natascha got married," she told Maria and Georg. "Last year. In fact, she and Peter are expecting a child."

"That's wonderful," Maria exclaimed. Though she had never dreamed her life would be like it was now, she was still overjoyed to hear her childhood friend was so happy.

"She's still in town," continued Frau Steiner. "I know she'd love to see you again."

Maria looked up at Georg imploringly. He knew what she wanted, and turned back to her friend's mother. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for her address?" he asked.

"Not at all," replied Frau Steiner. She hurried over to the cash register, picked up a pad and pencil and scribbled out her daughter's address, before tearing off the page and handing it to Maria.

"Thank you so much," Maria said, and with a goodbye, she and Georg headed out the door. Frau Steiner was so surprised and pleased to see her daughter's best friend again that she wasn't upset that the couple hadn't purchased anything.

* * *

"I hope you appreciate what I do for you darling," Georg teased as her opened the car door for his fiancée. Like so many times before, he knew what she was thinking. They were not going home until Maria had met her friend.

"You can't resist," she said playfully.

"No, you're right," he smiled as he started the engine. "And I never will."

* * *

**Hope you guys are enjoying this. There's still more to come (Chapter Three and an Epilogue). I know the whole first section is completely unnecessary, but I really wanted to add more than the bare minimum like I usually do. **


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take them too long to find Natascha's house, and after about half an hour they pulled up in front of a quaint little cottage on the edge of town.

"This seems to be it, darling," Georg announced as he shut off the engine.

Maria was out of the car so quickly that she didn't even answer Georg. Like on her first day at the villa she raced up to the front door, rang the bell and semi-collapsed against the side of the house.

* * *

Georg had caught up with her by the time the door opened, by a young man, who was only a few years older than Maria. Remembering what Frau Steiner had said back at the bakery, Maria guessed he must be Peter.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Um..." Maria began. Now that she was actually here, she was rather nervous, and having Peter answer the door rather than Natascha had caught her off guard.

"My fiancée is an old friend of Natascha's," Georg supplied, noticing Maria's panicked expression. "We were wondering if it was possible to see her. We were told this was her house."

Peter nodded. "I'll go and get her," he told them, before turning and heading down the hallway. He had only walked a few pace when he turned around. "Could I know who is here to see her?"

"Tell her it's Maria," Maria answered, finding her voice at last. Peter's eyes widened but he turned and continued back down the hall.

Mumbled voices were heard from inside the house, and then a shout: "Really?" said a voice that Maria knew all too well. It brought a smile to her face. And a second later it's owner was racing down the hallway towards the door.

Even though it had been five years since she had seen her friend, to Maria, Natascha looked exactly the same. But at the same time she looked different. More mature. After all, she was married now. And as her mother had said, she was clearly with child. Maria inhaled softly. In a year or two, that could be her.

She didn't have much time to think about that any more about that, because a second later she found herself locked in a tight embrace with her friend.

"I-I can't believe it," Natascha cried, hugging Maria tight. "I really can't believe it." She pulled back to look at her friend's face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, it's a long story," Maria began, extracting herself from Natascha's tight hold. She reached up and brushed a lock of her short hair out of her eyes. "You see-"

She never finished the sentence. Natascha had reached up and grabbed Maria's hand and was staring at her finger.

It took Maria a few seconds to work out why Natascha was so interested in her finger, and by then, she had already spoken.

"You're engaged?" she said.

Maria nodded, giggling to herself. Of course. Her engagement ring. Natascha may have been missing from the last five years of her life, but Maria had never had any desire for material goods, even when she was a girl. It was no surprise Natascha would notice the ring, Georg, this unexpected visit and put the pieces together.

"Yes, I am," she turned her head. Georg knew what she was asking and stepped forward. "Natascha, this is my fiancé, Georg von Trapp."

Being younger, Natascha did not know as much about the man standing on her front doorstep as her mother had, but she recognised the name.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said. "Captain."

"Georg, please," he said, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Of course," Natascha replied, before standing aside to let her guests enter the house. "Come in please."

* * *

They followed Natascha down the hallway and into the main area of the house. "So this is the famed 'Maria' I've heard so much about?" Peter said as the trio arrived.

"Yes, it is," Natascha couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Maria, Georg, this is my husband, Peter."

"How do you do?" he asked, shaking hands with Georg, while Natascha squeezed Maria tightly from behind. "You have to tell me everything," she squealed.

"Only if you tell me all your news," Maria replied.

"I will, I promise," she said. "Would you like a drink? Tea perhaps?"

"That sounds lovely," Georg said.

"How do you take your tea?" Natascha asked him.

"Milk, no sugar," he answered.

Natascha nodded and headed towards the kitchen. She turned her head back and looked at Maria. "Are you still having a spoonful of sugar?" she asked.

Maria nodded and Natascha disappeared into the kitchen.

Peter sat down in an armchair and Georg and Maria settled themselves on the couch opposite. Maria leaned up against up against her fiancé. She was so happy they had found Natascha. And it was all because of Georg.

"Thank you," she whispered, so softly that Georg felt it more than heard it.

* * *

Natascha came back a few minutes later with a tray of teacups. After passing them out, she sat down in the empty armchair next to Peter and fixed her gaze on her childhood friend.

Maria knew what Natascha was asking and she told her and Peter the story of how she'd been sent to work as a governess for the von Trapp family and how, upon falling in love with the family, and Georg in particular, decided to leave the abbey and follow her heart.

"Wow," Natascha breathed when the story had finished. She was so happy for her friend. It was no secret, especially to her that Maria's past had not been a happy one, but she had never seen Maria let it get her down. She was always happy. Except now. She wasn't just happy now; she was overjoyed.

"Now," said Maria, setting down her empty cup on the coffee table. "It's your turn."

"Well," began Natascha. "Peter and I met three years ago. I was helping in the bakery one day and he walked in asking for directions. Then we bumped into each other in town and it went from there.

"A year and a half later, he asked if I would be his wife, and by the end of the year we were married." She paused and her expression grew serious and sincere. "I wanted to find you, but I didn't know where you would be. I guess I was frightened."

Maria nodded. She understood. After all, she had been frightened. That's why she had left on the night of the party.

"Then what?" she asked.

Natascha looked down at her stomach and grinned. "Well, earlier this year I found out I was pregnant."

"Your mother mentioned that you were expecting your first child," Maria said. "We, uh, stopped by the bakery looking for you. I'm so happy for you."

"Not as happy as I am for you," Natascha said. She knew that if there was anyone who deserved this much happiness it was Maria.

"So why did you come and find me?" Natascha asked. "I know both our lives are the happiest they've ever been but somehow I don't think you came all the way out here, after disappearing for five years to tell me that, no matter how happy you are."

"Well," you're right," Maria said, reaching for Georg hand. "We wanted to ask you..."

Natascha put the pieces together in her head in a second. "Yes, yes, yes," she cried before Maria had even managed to get the full sentence out. "Of course I'll come to the wedding."

Wordlessly, the two young women stood up and embraced each other fiercely. Maria had never been happier than she was right now. She had found love, a home a family, and now her best friend again. Could her life be more wonderful?

* * *

"Promise me something," she asked Natascha as they walked towards the door. "Whatever happens, to either of us, promise me we'll stay in contact."

Natascha nodded and hugged her friend again. "I promise. You're the best friend I've ever had, Maria."

Maria smiled again and headed outside, while Georg thanked Natascha and Peter for their hospitality. When he finished, he took her arm and they headed towards the car, only to be called back by Natascha.

"Wait," she called.

"You go ahead," Georg said. "I'll be waiting."

Maria leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"What is it?" she asked when she reached Natascha.

"Well," Natascha said. "I've always wanted to ask you this, but you ran off all those years ago. I never thought I'd see you again. I was just wondering would you..." she trailed off, resting her hands on her swollen belly.

"Be our child's godmother?" the last sentence was rushed out so quickly Maria barely caught it, but her eyes sparkled and her face broke out in a grin.

"Of course I will," she exclaimed, pulling Natascha is for a giant hug. "It would be my honour."

"Thank you," Natascha choked out through her tears. "I never wanted it to be anyone other than you. I just never thought I'd see you again."

"I never thought I'd see you again," Maria replied. "But I'm so happy now. As you said, my life has never been better, and I'm so glad you're back in it."

"Me too," Natascha whispered, embracing her friend one final time. "See you in three weeks."

Maria closed her eyes and hugged her friend tighter. "I can't wait."

* * *

**There we go guys. Chapter 3 up. I hope you guys like it, I really struggled with getting it out. Just the epilogue to go. **


	4. Epilogue

The dance ended quickly. And abruptly. It reminded Maria a little of the night of the party, when she had backed away in fear, claiming she didn't remember any more of the Laendler.

"I'm just going to talk to Hede for a minute," Georg told her as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She watched him head over in the direction of his sister, who was standing in the corner of the room talking to Max.

She lowered her head, taking a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Despite the fact she was at her own wedding reception, she barely knew anyone. And the way Georg had announced he was going to talk to his sister made it seem like something he wanted to do alone.

But since that magical night in the gazebo, he'd repeatedly told her she didn't need his permission to do anything. She was about to walk over to him when he heard a voice.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so graceful,"

Smiling she turned around to face Natascha. Now she didn't mind that Georg wasn't standing right next to her. In fact, she guessed that he saw Natascha and backed away so that she and Maria could have some time together.

"Thank you," she said. "Did I really look graceful?"

Natascha nodded. "He couldn't keep his eyes of you,"

"Me too," Maria said quietly. She had to admit, she hadn't even noticed Natascha was there back at the cathedral. When her eyes weren't fixed on Georg she was looking towards the floor, since walking up the aisle seemed to take forever, and all she had wanted was for it to end. She wanted nothing more than run full-tilt up the aisle to be with Georg sooner. But she knew that she couldn't. Soon they would never have to be apart again, and so she had just concentrated on walking as gracefully and as calmly as possible.

Natascha on the other hand, had been excited all morning. In fact, she'd been excited ever since Maria and Georg turned up unexpectedly on her doorstep almost a month ago. She hadn't been able to stop herself from gasping when she saw her friend walk down the aisle. After all, this was Maria; the biggest tomboy Natascha had met in her entire life. The girl who was always in a hurry, tripping over her own feet, scraping her knees and tearing her dresses. Yet she had fit so well into the world she was entering.

"It's okay," Natascha said. "It's your wedding day. You're not supposed to notice anybody else. I didn't."

"Really?" Maria asked. Suddenly she realised she didn't know a lot about her best friend's wedding. Maria wanted to know, but they hadn't got around to it the other week. "What was your wedding like?"

"Well..." Natascha began. And with that, the two friends sat down on some nearby chairs and talked while waiting for their husbands to return.

* * *

**That's all for this story. I dedicate this story to all my TSOM friends and readers. Thanks so much. You are the reason I'm still writing about this film. **


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